Fund Empty

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Mary Fallin says she plans to ask the Legislature for a $36 million appropriation to the State Emergency Fund to reimburse local municipalities for disaster-related costs dating back to 2007.

Fallin discussed the state backlog Monday during a press briefing on how Oklahoma is handling the ongoing drought and one of the hottest summers on record.

The backlog is a result of more than two dozen presidential disaster or emergency declarations in Oklahoma since 2007. During such emergencies, the federal government reimburses cities and towns 75 percent of the costs for infrastructure repairs and other disaster-related costs. The state and local entity then splits the remaining 25 percent of the cost, but the state is more than four years behind on paying its share.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Mary Fallin says she plans to ask the Legislature for a $36 million appropriation to the State Emergency Fund to reimburse local municipalities for disaster-related costs dating back to 2007.

Fallin discussed the state backlog Monday during a press briefing on how Oklahoma is handling the ongoing drought and one of the hottest summers on record.

The backlog is a result of more than two dozen presidential disaster or emergency declarations in Oklahoma since 2007. During such emergencies, the federal government reimburses cities and towns 75 percent of the costs for infrastructure repairs and other disaster-related costs. The state and local entity then splits the remaining 25 percent of the cost, but the state is more than four years behind on paying its share.